Good morning, Rapid City.

Armadillos Ice Cream in downtown Rapid City celebrated its 30th season as locals and tourists lined up for its unique rotating flavors—such as strawberry butter—while the family-owned shop also provides teenagers with important job skills.

Today the Meade County Fair & 4-H Achievement Days and Northern Hills Ag Fest open in Sturgis at 9 a.m. with free events such as breakfast, a lego contest, animal shows and a rocket launch, while festivities continue Saturday with livestock shows, a pie auction and a fundraiser for new bathrooms — all set to bring together rural and town communities.

Residents of Star Village have launched the Love Your Block campaign to address serious issues like sewage problems, water outages, poor maintenance by Tzadik Management, and rising crime—efforts supported by a Johns Hopkins grant that also fund weekly community meetings and planned security upgrades. Local residents, who have reported problems like broken windows and no heating, continue to work together to make their neighborhood safer and more livable.

POET, a South Dakota bioethanol producer, ranked 15th in the country for container exports in 2024 after shipping more than 39,000 40‑foot containers mostly filled with dried distillers’ grains.

The company exported to 25 countries—mostly in Asia and Latin America—and its shipments boosted local product values.

Teacher Avery Friedt works long hours teaching at North Middle School and bartending at Independent Ale House—leading to arthritis flare-ups and a seizure—that stress her health and finances.

She is considering leaving RCAS for better pay if her concerns are not addressed before the 2025-26 school year.

Feeding South Dakota lost 1.5 million pounds of USDA food, and CEO Lori Dykstra asked lawmakers to add $3 million in the 2026 budget to buy food and meet rising demand+.

The group has cut mobile food distributions by 10 meals per family and reduced wellness pantry supplies by 25%+ as it faces a 12% yearly rise in need.

Picnic - A new kind of branding workshop

Picnic helps businesses and professionals hone a brand that aligns with their voice, values, and message. It creates brands that are easy for audiences to connect with—and that make work feel purposeful. Through hands-on exercises, Picnic invites you to listen, challenges you to be curious, and helps you think creatively. You'll leave with insights and techniques to keep your team inspired and your brand feeling fresh, day after day.

Picnic - A new kind of branding workshop

Picnic helps businesses and professionals hone a brand that aligns with their voice, values, and message. It creates brands that are easy for audiences to connect with—and that make work feel purposeful. Through hands-on exercises, Picnic invites you to listen, challenges you to be curious, and helps you think creatively. You'll leave with insights and techniques to keep your team inspired and your brand feeling fresh, day after day.

Lil Jon Live in Concert

7:00-8:30 p.m. — Central States Fair, Inc. — Tickets available — Get ready for a night of crunk with Lil Jon and the hype of Mike Jones.